World No.1 Iga Swiatek extended her winning streak on the grounds of Roland Garros to 23 straight matches with a 6-1, 6-1 rout of France's Diane Parry in the second round of the Olympics on Monday.
After a nervy start to her second Olympics, trailing 5-3 in the second set of her opening-round match against Romania's Irina-Camelia Begu, Swiatek was imperious against the home favorite in her 1-hour and 14-minute victory, and avoided the fate that befell her in her debut three years ago. She broke the World No.59's serve five times, never faced a break point herself and only surrendered 10 points in seven service games.
Swiatek won the last four games of her first-round match on Saturday, and her run of consecutive games hit nine by winning the first five games against Parry. The Frenchwoman denied her a 10th, erasing two set points and getting on the board in a five-deuce hold of serve, but Swiatek eventually took her one-set lead on her fifth set point. It was a similar story for Parry in the second set: Her second game was won with her already trailing 2-0, and she saved a break point in that hold as well.
After beating Nadia Podoroska in two tight sets in her Olympic debut, the 21-year-old also gave the surging Swiatek an assist by hitting 24 unforced errors in the 14 games -- to just eight winners.
Also through was another woman, who, like Swiatek, has spent time at the top of the PIF WTA Rankings: Angelique Kerber. The German, who announced that the Olympics will be the final tournament of her career, mounted another comeback to reach the Round of 16.
After ousting Naomi Osaka in the first round, Kerber came from a break down in the final set on Monday to defeat No.57 Jaqueline Cristian 6-4, 3-6, 6-4.
The former No.1 once again proved her resilience, a quality that has been the bedrock of her illustrious career, one the German wasn't ready to see end. A silver medalist at Rio 2016, Kerber fell behind by an early break in the third set before getting the match back on her terms with her trademark counter-punching.
With the help of an audacious drop shot winner, Kerber held to lead 5-4 before breaking the Romanian to seal the match. Cristian struck a double fault to give Kerber double match point at 15-40, but gamely saved them both, the second with a stunning forehand stab volley. But Kerber would not be denied. Her scrambling defense sealed the win on her third match point.
wtatennis.com
What did I say in my last post, soon as the roof went away Iga turned into a different player.
With tomorrow being a scorcher of a day in Paris of about 37C I fear they may have to put the roof up.
Iga is playing at night tomorrow at Roland Garros for the first time in few years as well.
So different types of challenges awaiting tomorrow.
21 - Iga Swiatek is the fourth player this Century to win more than 20 consecutive clay court matches (21), after Serena Williams (28), Justine Henin (27) and Maria Sharapova (21). Playground.
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